As an educator of science I believe that it is my job to instill in all of my students the importance of biological sciences. I truly believe that all children should have, at the very least, a basic knowledge of the living world around them. Through this knowledge they will hopefully come to appreciate all living things as well as the world they live in, and grow as individuals. It is therefore my goal not only to teach biology, but to also open student’s minds to the wonders of life that are all around them.
Another thing that influenced me to become a teacher was something I have been doing since I was in 5th grade. Growing up I had a large menagerie of exotic pets. After being encouraged by one of my science teachers, I decided to perform educational animal shows for schools, museums, birthday parties, and more. I grew up teaching children about animals and environmentalism, and I fell in love with it. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing that something I taught has really impacted a student in a positive way.
My style of teaching will involve a great amount of variation. I never want my classes to become too boring or predictable. Therefore, I will utilize many different approaches to teaching instead of just sticking with one. Sure, there will be times that call for simple lecturing with a PowerPoint. But I will also try to encourage lots of class discussions as well as implement as many hands-on activities as I can. Furthermore, I will assign projects that, while covering the material, also allow for creativity and expression. I will utilize many different forms of media including online web clips, documentaries, and even music. I will also try to come up with as many ways as I can to keep the class fresh and enjoyable. Some ideas I have are creating interactive videos and dressing up as famous scientists such as Darwin, or Mendel when I teach about evolution and genetics.
In terms of classroom management, I will mostly use a humanistic and behavioral approach. I strongly believe that a classroom is a more positive environment when the teacher fosters mutual respect, understanding, and a caring attitude. Anytime I have ever had a teacher who was super authoritative I did not feel as if I had a positive connection to that teacher. The teachers I most connected with were always the warm caring teachers, who genuinely wanted to help their students. Also, in terms of enforcing classroom rules, I will choose to use the behavioral approach of positive reinforcement. When students do something positive in my classroom (help one another, ask, or answer, a though provoking question, receive an exceptional score on an exam, ect.) I will award them “class points” that can be saved up and used for various things such as extra credit, a prize of some sorts, or even a homework pass. When students misbehave in my classroom they will receive negative points. However, if the bad behavior persists I will of course have to eventually take more stringent action.
In addition to that, I strongly believe in the power of humor. In my experience, I have found that children respond positively to humor, or even the attempt at humor. In the past, even students who were very serious and opposed to me at first, broke when I persisted with the use of humor. Though, as an educator, I’m aware I will have to be very careful with the type of humor I use. I will make it clear in my classroom that making fun of a person for their beliefs and/or physical appearance is something that I will not tolerate. I will also be careful not to use humor excessively so as to not undermine my authority as a teacher.
The most important thing I believe that educators can do for their students is show that they care about them, and believe in them. Throughout my education I have found that I connect strongly with teachers that clearly care about their students. I am disappointed by teachers who clearly have no concern for the well being of their students. I want my students to know that they can come and talk to me about more than just academic matters. In my experience, once students know that you care about them, they will respect you and be more willing to learn from you.
Another thing that influenced me to become a teacher was something I have been doing since I was in 5th grade. Growing up I had a large menagerie of exotic pets. After being encouraged by one of my science teachers, I decided to perform educational animal shows for schools, museums, birthday parties, and more. I grew up teaching children about animals and environmentalism, and I fell in love with it. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing that something I taught has really impacted a student in a positive way.
My style of teaching will involve a great amount of variation. I never want my classes to become too boring or predictable. Therefore, I will utilize many different approaches to teaching instead of just sticking with one. Sure, there will be times that call for simple lecturing with a PowerPoint. But I will also try to encourage lots of class discussions as well as implement as many hands-on activities as I can. Furthermore, I will assign projects that, while covering the material, also allow for creativity and expression. I will utilize many different forms of media including online web clips, documentaries, and even music. I will also try to come up with as many ways as I can to keep the class fresh and enjoyable. Some ideas I have are creating interactive videos and dressing up as famous scientists such as Darwin, or Mendel when I teach about evolution and genetics.
In terms of classroom management, I will mostly use a humanistic and behavioral approach. I strongly believe that a classroom is a more positive environment when the teacher fosters mutual respect, understanding, and a caring attitude. Anytime I have ever had a teacher who was super authoritative I did not feel as if I had a positive connection to that teacher. The teachers I most connected with were always the warm caring teachers, who genuinely wanted to help their students. Also, in terms of enforcing classroom rules, I will choose to use the behavioral approach of positive reinforcement. When students do something positive in my classroom (help one another, ask, or answer, a though provoking question, receive an exceptional score on an exam, ect.) I will award them “class points” that can be saved up and used for various things such as extra credit, a prize of some sorts, or even a homework pass. When students misbehave in my classroom they will receive negative points. However, if the bad behavior persists I will of course have to eventually take more stringent action.
In addition to that, I strongly believe in the power of humor. In my experience, I have found that children respond positively to humor, or even the attempt at humor. In the past, even students who were very serious and opposed to me at first, broke when I persisted with the use of humor. Though, as an educator, I’m aware I will have to be very careful with the type of humor I use. I will make it clear in my classroom that making fun of a person for their beliefs and/or physical appearance is something that I will not tolerate. I will also be careful not to use humor excessively so as to not undermine my authority as a teacher.
The most important thing I believe that educators can do for their students is show that they care about them, and believe in them. Throughout my education I have found that I connect strongly with teachers that clearly care about their students. I am disappointed by teachers who clearly have no concern for the well being of their students. I want my students to know that they can come and talk to me about more than just academic matters. In my experience, once students know that you care about them, they will respect you and be more willing to learn from you.